Key-valve pad for musical instruments



1,635,775 July 172, 1927. P. ARTHUR 7 KEY VALVE PAD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Sept; 24 1921 Patented July 12,1921." 7 UNITED] STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

mm. ARTHUR, or nnxnomi, WISCONSIN, ASSIGIIOR "r FRANK BOLTON & 00., or nnxnomv; WISCONSIN, A COBPQRATION OF ILLINOIS.

, KEY-VALVE mm r03 MUSICAL .INsT RUMENTs'.

Application med September 24,1921. Serial No. 503,074.

Myi11vention relates to key plate valve pads particularly adaptable'for musical 1nstruments such as saxophones, clarmets, flutes, and the like- I g u One of the objects of myimprovement IS the provision of a simple and eflicientsealing means for key valve pads of musical wind instruments. i [A further object is the provision of a key valve pad for musical Wind instruments having means forsupporting the pad of the valve over its entire back surface. I A still further object is the provision of v simple and eflicient means for holding the pad or sealing means in the cup plate or the like. i Y Otherobjccts will appearhereinafter.

[An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forniing a part of this specification, and in which, I v v Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a musical wind instrument equipped with a key valve pad embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section taken through the key valve. T 3 Fig. 3is a view takenas from l1ne 33 in Fig. 2, showing a slightly different form of cup than that shown in Fig. 2,'and1 t Fig. 4 is a view similar to F ig.f2b'ut lllustrating' a modification. f

Referring more particularly tothe drawings, I have'indicated a tubular port1on'5 ofa musical wind instrument having a key valve opening 6 at one side with a valve seat 7 at the outersideof said opening. This portion of a musical wind instrument may represent a saxophone, flute, clarionet or the like,-,and may be of any approved construction.' 1 On theouter side of tube 5 'I'have indicated a bearing 8, in which is journaled a shaft '9. On the shaft 9 is. alevenlO having a thumb-piecell for operationby the person playing the instrument] On the shaft 9 is also fixed a lever 12 having a. key plate 13 attached to its free end. A spring 14 may be. attached to the shaft and levers for normally holding the valve closed or in the position indicated in Fig. 1. These parts may also be of any. approved construction.- ,My invention consists in the pad or sealing means disposed withinthe plate 13 and in covering 20, thereon.

the present instance comprises a cup having substantially cylindrical. At the outeredge of the side wall 16 is a flange 17 which rests aga nst a depending flange 18 on the plate 13. The flange 17 engaging the edge of flange18 facilitates makinga firm mounting for the cup against the plate 13.

'By gras ping the flange 17 manually the cup 15, 16 may be readily attached or detached to or from the plate 13 since this cup isheld in place by friction with the flange 18. It can readily be seen b referringto Fig. 2t-hat when the pad hol er is to be re moved itcan be loosened if desired by running a knife blade along the crevice between the radial or annular flange 17 and the cylin drical flange 18 andpryin the cup away from the plate until it can e easily turned by grasping between the thumb and fore fingerand removed from the key plate.

Disposed against the bottomwall 15 is a pad 19, which may be of felt or any other desired substance. Disposed over-the pad 19 is a covering 20, which may be of thin flexible leather or any other desired sub stance. Edge. portions of the covering 20 are disposed over a ring 21 in the cup and between rings-21and22, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. The other portion of the covering 20 adjacent itsperipheral edge is disposed between the ring 22 and the upstanding walls 16 ofthe cup. The rings 21 and 22 and the covering 20 are so arranged that the -walls 16 engage the peripheral portions of the covering sufliciently tight to lock the parts frictionally together.

In assembling the parts they may be placedtogether in any desirable manner, but Ifind it easier to assemble them by placing the pad inoposition with ring 21 around it, then passing the covering 20 over their tops and finally placing ring 22 in the position shown in Fig. 2. 'It will be apparent that should it be desired to renew the pad or covering that the. same can be done very easily by simply slipping the pad out of the cup 1 5-16.

The skin holder for the key pad comprises a pair of rings 21 and 22 which cooperate to receive the inside pad 19 and hold the skin These elements are formed to be ressed into the key cup 15. 16 and frictional ly retained therein. 19 may be of felt. The ring 21 is the pad The pad receiving ring while the ring 22 constitutes a locking ring which is forced over the outside of the periphe al surface of the skin 20 on the inner ring 21 whereby the parts are held together and insertable into and friotionally retained in the key cup 15, 16. In other words, the ring 21 is an inner binding ring with the pad 19 located therein. The skin covering for the pad extends secured through the outside of the ring 21 and the outer metallic clamping ring 22 secures the skin to the outside of the inner ring. The pair of rings separably cooperate to receive the pad and removably secure the skin over the face of the pad. The metallic means 22 for retaining the skin against the ring 21 is readily removably and replaceable for removing the skin facing. The retaining ring 22 of the skin is arranged to be readily removably held in the key cup 15, 16. The skin holder shown in the drawings is particularly adapted for key pads for saxophones and the like.

In some instances itmay be desired to entirely dispense with the plate 13 and its flange 18 and secure the lever or arm 12 to the plate directly. I prefer to use the plate 13 and its flange as shown, but I do not want to be limited to its use in all instances.

I prefer, however, to have the back or bottom 15 of the holder integral and continuous throughout so that when the valves are kept in stock in quantity, or transported, or otherwise handled in its assembled condition in readiness to be inserted in the key plate 13, a minimum amount of moisture will be absorbed from the atmosphere. By keeping out the moisture in this manner the lexibie covering of leather will keep its proper shape and not become warped. It should also be noted that by providing the flat rigid bottom 15 the cushion which is adapted to fitagainst the valve seat will make a better fit with the latter than if only rings were pr vided each of approximately the diameter of the circular cushion. It can readily be seen that since the key plates 18 are usually convex as shown in Fig. 2 a much better lit on the valve seat is made by the cushion when the plane bottom or back 15 is provided.

It should also be noted that in the preferred form shown in Fig. 2 the pad rests against the flat rigid imperforate bottom 15 of the cup and extends over nearly the entire circular area of such bottom so that when the concentric rings clamp the periplr eral portion of the covering 20 against the cylindrical wall 16 the pad will be entirely enclosed or confined against exposure to the atmosphere and the exposed surface of the covering will maintain the shape of a segment of a sphere. Furthermore, as above explained, the cup with the pad mounted therein and enclosed by the covering 20 is detachable from the key plate 13 and therefore a new pad may be substituted for an old one very quickly or without delay and the removed pad may be restored by sul'istituting new padding and a new cover while retaining the cup 15, 16 and the clamping cylindrical rings 21 and 22.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the claims hereto appended. I desire therefore not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

I claim:

1. In combination, a key plate having a peripheral flange; a pad cup having an outwardl extending flange on its rim engaging the edge of the flange on said key plate limiting the movement'of the cup toward the key plate; two spaced rings both concentric with the wall of said cup; a pad in the cup inside the smaller of said rings; and a cover ing over said pad with edge portions disposed between the rings and other edge portions disposed between the outer ring and the wall of the cup.

2. In combination, a key plate having a relatively short peripheral flange, an insertable pad cup for said key plate having a corresponding peripheral flange with the extremity thereof provided with an outwardly extending flange below the ed of the flange on the key plate. said outwardly extending flange on the pad cup constructed to engage the edge of the flange on the key plate, two spaced rings for the pad cup both concentric with said cup and constructed to terminate below the edge of the peripheral flange of the key plate, a pad in said cup inside the smaller of said rings. and a covering over said pad with edge portions (llQPOSC'Cl between the rings and other edge portions disposed between the outer ring and the peripheral flange of the cup.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 20th day of September, A. D. 1921.

PAUL ARTHUR. 

